The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-25
DETERMINED TO RETIRE
Mr. PoWderly Writes Letter to an In
adianapolis knight of Labor,
And States that He Canpot Consistently Ac-
cepta Re- Election-Wsrk of the Anarch-
aeistic Element ia the Order.

retire from bis official position in the order at
| the emo of his present term. A letter from Mr..
| Powderly in answer to the communication has
been received, in whicnfhe says:
81 scarcely know hoy to answer your letter.
You ask me TO, reconsider my determination to
retire from the head Of the order after the next
session. l do not seeihow / can consistently do
SO. and it would be unfair to ask me to retain a
position whichI do mot want and which am
confident that anotheeman can fill with better
advantage to t1e order at large. During the
past year / received "a thousand communica-
tions from individuals. it is true, in which l
was abused, condemned and asked to resign.
The papers were fullt of abuse. threats of i'm
peachment were made, and threats of with
drawai from the orner were freely INDUCED in
Through this cloud of gloom but one ray of light
made its way, and; ethat came from far away
| Denver where d. "A. 81 passed those ringing
resolutions. indorsing my course and condemn
ing the Anarchist element which sought to pros
titnte tho order TO its own baseness.
Il felt, Brother Gould, that the order would
stand more cheerful ~ by some other man than
| il would stand by meg True, have never had
cause to find fault with the official treatment I
have received. but when blows fall thick and
fast. friendly hand of intercession pow and
then cheers the person whose head the blows
are falling l beliess the best service that
can render to the order is to step aside and al
low some other member to do the work am
trying to do. l have devoted years to the cause
of labor. My life in the service of humanity has
been one constant fight by night and day against
the enemies of labor and the elem of dscord
which opposed me.=from within and without
Such a life has been most exciting one. and
has left me with legacy which l can never
part with. in the shape Of heart trouble that
may do its work at any moment. / could not
make such subject matter for discussion in
my annual message or before to the General As
sem bly,.
Personal interest, social ties and the com
forts of homo have been things of the past with
me for years. l long to be once more free
orable. and ruled over by not one but 500. 900
masters. You can never know the strain under
which have lived for years, 1t would not be
becoming for me to speak of the financial sacri-
flee have made for the order. and, / am free to
say, would be willing to make the same sacrifice
again either of health. wealth or comfort for
the order of Knights of Labor. |
nave; Tor eight ysars' as Ieneral master
Workman, striven honestly /
knew how to better the condition of my
fellow-men by helping to build up an organizes
ton through which they would oe protected in
their rights. That organization is built but
profane hands have been laid upon it, aud the
men who gathered at Chicago and gave out that
hostile declaration to the world did so only be-
cause anarchy could not rule the order. L do
not charge all those who attended the meeting
in Chicago with being Anarchists, but | claim
that the vast majority of them did not repre-
sent their cons titueHcies ~
Your district has always been true and loyal,
and while it is not one of the strongest districts
in the order in point of numbers yet regard it
as being one of the strongest in discrimination
backbone manhood. With kindest regards,
remain, fraternally yours.
'sT. V. PowDERLY."
Big Strike of Brewery Employees Expected.
MILWAUKEE, Nov. 24-It is expected that 81.
600 brewery employees will walk out on Tuesday
morning. because OF a circular to be issued to
them tomorrow morning by the nine brewing
establishments of this city. informing them that
their union will longer be recog-
nized, because the contract made with it
has been broken. The brewers will meet to-
night and the proprietors all expect strike.
The trouble grows out OF the attitude of the
Brewers Z MON in ordering boycott OF three of
tho firms for using malt made by mon union
maltsters. The circular of the proprTesyrs ex-
plains it, follows:
ITO the Brewers and Maltsters' Union. Noe:
1.-The agreement made between yourself and
and the secretary. last spring, contains. among
other stipulatlons the following paragraph
''All complaints the part of 'workmen shall be
submitted first, to the foreman, after which ap
peal may be taken the of the brewery; if
satisfactory result obtains arbitration committee
shall be formed, the members of which shall consist
of representative of the firm representative of
the union, they to choose thrdsa similar committee
shall be frmed when differences OF opinion arise be-
tween the proprietors of the brewries and the union
The decisions OF these arbitration Committees shall be
final.
s'In spite of these stipulations your union, a
few days ago. distributed about town boycott
circulars, in which the beer Of three of our men
bers is boycotted because they purchased their
malt from dealers who have incurred your dis
pleasure The members referred to are F. Mil
Ter, A. -Gettelmapn and the Cream City Brew
ing Company. Such inconsistent proceeding
on your part is inexcusable and an open breach
of your agreement inasmuch You had the
means at hand to settle any differ
thus far granted you everything that you have
asked of us. We have shortened your hours of
labor; we now pay you the increased wages that
demanded; pay you for Sunday work
and overtime. bonus of 30 per cent. or at the
rate of time and half; we have complied with
your desire to employ only members of the
10 ehnrf ,f,vayt fo6i in ava
thing and have suffered countless annoy
ances, for other purpose than to
maintain peace However. constant sub
mIssiveness results IN nothing, except more &C.
mands your part, which, if we granted them,
would lead to our business rum. In to-day's
meeting of our society the following was
adopted:
Whereas the Brewers and Matsters Union, No.
g. has injured several of embers by boycotting
them in their business; and,
Whereas, such--an act is IN direct opposition to
Resolved That consider said agreement to have
been broken by said union"
Every brewer will be handed circular to-day,
telling him that if he does not strike ne will be
guaranteed work at the old wages. The circu-
lar is signed by the nine brewing companies of
the citv-Phip Best Company. Schlitz Com
pany, Frank Falk, Valentine Blatz, Cream City,
jung & Borchert,F. Miller, A Gettelrnann and
Chicago Brewers and Their Employers.
CHICAGO. Nov 24.-Thers is trouble brewing
among the brewers. 1 ne friendly reIatlons De-
tween the employers and their men were not
improved by circular issued by the companies
yesterday. On Nov ii, the day the Anarchists
were executed. the brewers and maltsters quit
work, and spent the day in mourning and in
drinking beer 20 drown their sorrow. They
gave but one days notice of this move, and the
houses left in an embarrassing condition
in consequence, The employers have issued
circular informing their men that 1t would not
be healthy for them to repeat their former ex-
Iloit incidentally throwing out the hint that it
would be good policy TO let up little their
expressions of sympathy with anarchy, dead or
alive. Notices of this import in German were
posted in all of the houses yesterday, and ere
ated great excitement among the The
bosses were denounced in unmeasured terms at
the meeting last night, and the hot headed
anarchistc faction in favor OF calling their
emploYers To tune for the s.insnlt.n No action